Means for protecting a vessel against torpedoes.



A. TUTE.

MEANS FOR PROTECTING A VESSEL AGAINST TORPEDOES.

APPLECATION man SEPT. 30. 1916.

,242,082 Patented Oct. 2, 1917.

2 SHEETSSHEET l- R. A. TUTE.

MEANS FOR PROTECTING A VESSEL AGAINST TORPEDGES.

. APPHCA TION FILED SEPT. 30. 1916- 1,242,082. Patented Get. 2, 191?.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

19 aiffozncq onirnn STATES ROBERT ALEXANDER TUTE, OF ATLANTA, GEORGIA.

MEANS FOR PROTECTING A VESSEL AGAINST TORZPEDOES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 2, 191a.

- Application filed September 30, 1916. Serial No. 123,045.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT-A. Turn, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at Atlanta, in the county of Fulton and State of Georgia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Means for Pro tecting Vessels Against Torpedoes of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to means for protecting vessels against torpedoes and the like and has for its object the production of a simple and .eflicient armor which may be placed upon or around the hull of a ship below the water line so as to prevent the striking of torpedoes against the armor of the ship. l 4 I Another object of this invention is the production of a simple and efiicient' construction for producing a yieldable casing for placement aroundthe hull ofa ship to protect the same against the explosion of torpedoes. v

With these and other objects in view, this invention consists of certain novel constructions, combinations and arrangements of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described andclaimed.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side-elevation of a vessel showing the protector applied to the-hull thereof.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical section taken through a portion of the hull and showing the protector in vertical. section.

Fig. 3 is a section taken on line 3-3 of Fig.1.

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the inner casingof the protector showing the wire mesh secured to the outer face of the inner protector layer. I

Fig.- 5 is a vertical section through the outer protector sheet or casing.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional View showing the manner of connecting the side protector strips to the keel plate of the protector.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged side elevation of one of the cranes used to support the outer protector sheet of the protecting device.

By referringto the drawings, it will be seen that 1 designates a vessel upon which the protector outlined in the present application is adapted to be secured. This protector comprises a bow strip 2, preferably formed of rubber or other suitable resilient material and embedded in this how strip 2 is arranged a wire mesh screen 3 which also extends longitudinally of the hull of'the ship 1 and carries an inner cork sh 4 upon the inner face thereof. The bow strip 2 is also provided with an overhanging flange 5 upon each side thereof and an outer protector sheet 6 is secured under this flange 5 by means of a plurality of hooks or securing members 7 as illustrated clearly in Fig. 3 of the drawings.

This outer protector strip 6 comprises a plurality of longitudinally extending elastic or resilient bands 8 which bands are reinforced and held firmly together by means of the vertically extending bracing strands 9. It will, therefore, be seen that these longitudinally extending strands 8 of elastic.

or resilient material will be firmly held together to constitute a substantially continuous sheet or protector mat. A plurality of compactly arranged coil springs 10 are interposed between the cork inner sheet 4 and the outer protector sheet 6, these springs 10 tapering toward the center portions thereof as illustrated clearly in Figs. 2 and 3. The inner ends of these springs 10 are connected to the wire mesh screening 8 and are preferably joined to the cross portions thereof as illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawings.

A keel strip 11 is adapted to be secured to the 1'. ear of the vessel and is provided with a plurality of apertures 12 formed therein for the purpose of allowing the. water to pass out through the keel strip should the water obtain entrance between the walls of the protector. It, of course, should I be understood that a suitable propeller shaft" may extend through the keel strip or member 11. This outer casing or sheet 6 is adapted to extend entirely around the bottom of the vessel although it is only necessary to have the springs 10 extend down the sides of the protector.

A plurality of hanger members 13 are secured to the side of the vessel and overhang the deck portion thereof and are provided with suitable turn buckles 14 for allowing the same to be adjusted to the proper length. The lower ends of these hangers 13 are con- "nected to the eyes 15 carried by the top of the inner protector sheet 4 as illustrated in detail in Fig. 2.

A plurality of crane portions 16 are also portions 16 are provided with outwardly extending hook portions 18 which support the adjustable rods 19' and these adjustable 'rods engage the eyes 20 carried by the upper edge of the outer protector sheet 6. A sealing strip 21 is also secured to the upper edge of the outer sheet 6 and extends. upwardly at an incline toward the side wall of the ship 1 and is secured in any suitable or desired manner to the walls of the ship. This sealing strip 21 is preferably formed of rubber or other elastic material to constitute a means for preventing the water from leaking into or between the inner wall 4 of the outer wall of the sheet 6 of the protector.

. The keel strip 11 is provided with a groove 22 near each side edge thereof and the ends 23 of the strands or stri s8 are adapted to'be secured under the ange 24: by meansof the hooks 25, these hooks being adapted to detachablyengage the strips or strands 8.

A guiding bar 26 is adapted tobe supported upon the vessel 1 and project outwardly therefrom so as to constitute a guide for the anchor chain 27 and hold the anchor chain 27 out of entanglement with the guard or protector which is placed around the bottom of the ship.

When it is desired to place the device upon the hull of a vessel the keel strip 11 is secured in any suitable or desired manner to the stern of a vessel and the ends of the inner sheet and the outer sheet 6 are then pulled rearwardly over the ship from the bow toward the stern so that the bow strip 2 firmly engages the bow of the vessel. The ends of the strands or strips 8 are then securedly hooked under the flanges 24 of the keel stern strip 11. then supported upon the side of the ship by means of the hanger members 19 and 13 above described.

Should a torpedo which is fired at a ship strike the protector illustrated and described such as shown in Fig. 1, the yieldable nature of the protector will prevent the exploding of the torpedo for the reason that even should the torpedo force the elastic or resilient strips or strands 8 slightly apart, the strands or strips will pull upon the nose or forward end of the torpedo and squeeze the same out of engagement with the outer sheet 6 and from between the strands 8. The yieldable nature of the springs 10 will also assist in warding ofl the blow of the torpedo and the yieldable nature of the protector will prevent-the firing head of the The ent1re device is It should be understood that the springs 10 are secured at'their inner ends and merely frictionally engage the outer sheet 6 so as to permit the free movement of the outer sheet 6 after entangling the springs 10. It

should be further understood that the construction of the coil springs 10 will prevent the entrance of a torpedo through the pro tector for the reason that should a torpedo strike one of the springs 10, the penetrating movement of the torpedo through the springs 10 will be resisted due to the tapering ends of the springs toward the center thereof. I

What is claimed is: I

1. A protector of the classdescribed comprising a'bow strip, an inner sheet, an outer sheet, yieldable means interposed between the inner'and outer sheets, a stern strip, and means for detachably holding'said inner and .outer sheets in engagement with said stern strip.

2. A protector of the class described comprising a bow stri an inner sheet, an outer sheet, said outer s eet comprising a plurality of compactly arranged elastic strips,

yieldable means interposed between said inner and outer sheets, and means for holding said sheets around the hullof a vessel. 3. A protectorof the class described comprising a bow strip, an innersheet, an outer sheet, a wire mesh screen formed upon the outer face of said inner sheet, a plurality of coil springs carried by said wire mesh screen and abutting against the inner face of said outer sheet, and means for supporting said inner and outer sheets upon the hull of a vessel.

A protector of the class described comprising an inner sheet, an outer sheet, springs carried by said inner sheet and abutting against the inner face of said outer sheet, said outer sheet comprising a plurality of longitudinally extending closely arranged elastic. strands, binding means passing through said strands fo'r firmly holding the same together, and means engaging the upper edges of said sheets for holding said protector upon the hull of a vessel.

5. A protector of the class described comprising an inner sheet, an outer sheet, springs carried by said inner sheet and abutting against the' inner face of said outer sheet, said outer sheet comprising a plurality of longitudinally extending closely arranged elastic strands, binding means passing through said strands for firmly holding the same together, means engaging the upper edges of said sheets for holding said protector upon the hull of a vessel, said springs tapering toward the centers thereof and having widened portions at the end thereof.

6. A protector of the class described comprising a bow strip, protector sheets secured to said how strip, a stern strip, and means carried by said stern strip for facilitating the attachment of the ends of said side sheets in engagement therewith.

A protector of the class described comprising a bow strip, protector sheets secured to said bow strip, a stern strip, means carried by said stern strip for facilitating the attachment of the ends of said side sheets in engagement therewith, and said stern strip provided with apertures formed therein for permitting the drainage of water from be tween said side sheets.

8. A protector of the class described comprising a bow strip, protector sheets secured to said bow strip, a stern strip, means carried by said stern strip for facilitating the attachment of the ends of said side sheets in engagement therewith, said stern strip provided with apertures formed therein for permitting the drainage of water from between said side sheets, agsealing strip secured to the top of said side eets and extending upwardly at an incline and being adapted to be secured to the outer side Walls of a vessel upon which said device is adapted to be applied.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature.

ROBERT ALEXANDER TUTE. 

